Sprint's Pivot Sinks But Next-Gen Wi-Fi Solution Still Sought

According to InformationWeek, the nation’s major cable TV companies have pulled out of Sprint’s Pivot wireless offering, but they may still work with Sprint and Clearwire to develop a nationwide WiMax network to help them compete with phone companies.

Comcast, Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable announced that they would stop marketing Pivot, a move that had been expected since Sprint said in November that it would stop expanding the Pivot program. Existing Pivot customers will be given an option of moving their service directly to Sprint.

Pivot cable companies are still talking with Sprint and Clearwire about funding a nationwide rollout of WiMax, the next generation of Wi-Fi that offers faster speeds and wider coverage. Pivot was created by Sprint as an add-on to the triple-play package of cable TV, broadband Internet and telephone service offered by cable companies. But Pivot never met expectations, and cable companies said it was too difficult to operate.

WiMax is being viewed as a more profitable and effective way to deliver wireless services to cable customers.